ABC Open Outback SA

27,000 pieces from a time-lapse master

Open Producer Anthony L'Huillier and time-lapse master Travis Hague have collaborated on an epic time lapse film celebrating Australia's haunting landscape and starscape.

By day Travis Hague is a pest controller - he exterminates bugs for a living.

By night he transforms himself into a master photographer/cameraman who creates elaborate motion time-lapse sequences that are undeniably gob-smacking.

For kicks Travis goes out into the surrounding desert around Roxby Downs to shoot time-lapse sequence for six hours at a time. In fact whenever Travis gets a chance he films these sequences and admits to being obsessed with their visual possibilities. He loves the visual effect of compressing time and the patterns and movement that occur because of the 'time bending'.

Take one look at his footage and you can see why he's got the filmmaker's bug.

Travis has a remarkable combination of technical wizardry with an artful disposition.

What most impressed me was that he was self-taught.

Through trial and error and trawling the internet for technical and 'how to' tutorials, Travis has taught himself time-lapse. He goes back to reshoot a shot if he doesn't like it and anyone who is willing to return multiple times to get a better shot is number one in my books. That's how I learnt to shoot and the deep learning curve of repetition is invaluable for any filmmaker.

Travis even blew me away with the way he shot footage while we were together. While shooting sequences Travis would talk the entire time while adjusting his camera and motion rig. He talked in great detail about cameras settings, exposures, shutter speeds, ISOs, lenses, RAW vs JPEG, intervalometers, the limitations of various DSLRs, editing software and workflows and what was the best time of the year to film The Milky Way.

It wasn't 'I read it on the internet' stuff, it was real knowledge through real application.

Impressive stuff. As is his footage.

This film has 27,000 pieces of media with a mind-bending workflow in post production to uphold image quality. The edit was very complicated - which is a lot coming from me - but it was a very satisfying challenge.

The ultimate satisfaction of my job is when I meet a contributor who is a fellow filmmaker who also wants to push the envelope to create better content. It is even better when you learn something from that contributor and there is an exchange of ideas and techniques.

I have to thank Travis for teaching me things about filmmaking I did not know. Awesome.

This film will showcase on the 7.30 Report SA this Friday, 27th September.

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Comments

LizD

Thankyou for sharing this is inspirational footage. I can appreciate both the superb environment that is captured and the process involved in capturing it. Congratulations.

Fahad

Brilliant, some shots were over whelming, good music...thanks for sharing

Clare

Brilliant work. Thanks so much for sharing.

Peter

Killing animals by the thousands (if bugs, less if mammals) during the day, making lovely pics by night.
Great footage.

marc

I want to go there!

ghul Hussain

Fantastic piece of photography. Have just come back from the outback and recognize many landmarks besides the stunning night sky.
I would like to know about the technical details on the whole setup as I do some astrophotography. Thanks

Matt Stewart

Thanks for your superb art Travis... and for reminding us what we have and can enjoy... if only we walk away from our screens and look up and around us.

lukepower

If Travis sees this message...
What sort of equipment do you use? Do you have a website for your works?

Susie Forster

I certainly did feel moved watching this. Thanks for sharing your passion Travis and Anthony- so 27,000 pieces of media on the timeline hey?

Laurie Anne

Sublime, simply sublime.
I have been wanting to do some of this for ages... a great source of inspiration. Thank you! Where can we follow your work? Cheers!

Leone Fabre

simply stunning ... thank you so much for sharing.

Pearl Butcher

Wow, can't find the words to best describe it - but thanks Travis

Benj Binks

Nice stuff gents!

Doris Carroll

Wow! inspiring. i've been to most of those amazing places, but what you have captured makes me almost tremble and emotional. a truly wonderful talent you possess. makes me think i can do more than just think about getting involved in photography. fantastic!

Marcus Thompson

Wow this is amazing

Rob Davis

Amazing, brilliant, WOW etc
gosh I wish I was here a week ago, because I can't find better words than already have been said. Well done !!!!!!

Erika Syvertsen

Amazing effort! This must of taken forever to create!
Loved all of it!!!

Ben Tupas

Gorgeous, inspiring stuff.

Jean-Pierre Cazier

Formidables images tant diurnes que nocturnes. Félicitations!

Nick Bryce

Having recorded my work out in the bush in snapshots, I am enthralled to see the outback so brilliantly recorded in these extended windows of my favourite world.

Stu Nankivell

Tony Mitchell

Donna E

Georgie Sharp

These images are so powerful... Would love to see them on the BIG screen...

Graham Douglas

Great quality timelapse photography. Let me know if you are doing any in the Pt Augusta area. Would love to join in.

Oswald Lucas

Spectacular! It's hauntingly amazing...especially the motion lapses on the stars.
B E A U T I F U L L....yes that's the spelling for this one!

Richard

Great work Travis, we will be tuning in to ABC on Friday night

Spence Denny

Have watched this at 6 times now... the shot from 3:20 is the highlight for me.

Julian Tregenza

Incredible footage - a masterpiece of moving-art Travis!

Paul & Lola Leasor

Loved the night sky pictures of the Milky Way. (Heather's parents)

Emma Russell

Stunning! I loved the desert when I visited Oz - this brings it all back, and then some...congratulations, Travis, fabulous film work.

Stacy Martin

Fantastic, breath taking work. Well done Travis, you really are gifted. Brought back some beautiful memories of your time in Roxby Downs.

Grace Konia Morokai

Incredible work!! Travis is an amazing photographer.When others see nothing in the desert,we see extraodinary colours and patterns in the natural art we are surrounded by.Will be watching on ABC.

Steve Moskal

A real work of beautiful moving art !

Robert Pyne

Quite simply this is brilliant! Absolutely love the part where the haunting sounds and thunder stop then boom silence and the milky way (about 55-60 secs in) it totally blew me away (master stroke!). My wife to be and I are heading up to the Blue Mountains for our Honeymoon in a little over a week and I have invested in a remote timer for my Canon 7D any tips would be most handy. :)

Steve O'Connor

nice one haggis

Alex

Travis! How stunning! Beautiful editiing too. I was going to do nothing this weekend, but now I'm going to have to go out with a camera. Damn you!

Lilian H

Excellent and so dramatic.

Beth

So beautiful. Makes me homesick for SA!

ruby grennan

this is really haunting stuff, the milky way footage is just crazy good. Totally transportative - well done Travis, and thanks for bringing it to us Anthony.

the 'Wickham's '

Seriously Fabulous !!!

Lisa Clarke

Woah! Travis you truly are a master at time-lapse. This is absolutely fantastic!

Kimberley Hargrave

Amazing result, and great to talk to you both whilst editing and learning. Congratulations.

Peter McEwan

Wonderful production, made so dramatic by fantastic music. Great work Anthony and Travis. Clearly a labour of love.

Carol Brock

Such beautiful images, leaves you in awe...so shareable, I love it.

MJ

What an amazing talent found in discovering Travis and his passion, so glad he has shared with us what he sees when he looks at this wonderful world. Truly Amazing. We could all take a lesson away from this inspiring piece and take time to stop and really look at what is happening and going on around us.

Michael

Ron Fricke on steroids. Awesome, Travis!

Brett Dolsen

Outstanding skills to create such a beautiful piece!

Susan

Truly amazing piece of work and really puts the spotlight on our forever evolving world and universe that we live in.

Wiriya Sati

Powerful and incredibly beautiful. I was sure that stone building was Mintabie desert mining town. Loved how the cuts and zooms were edited in to suit the very well chosen music. Amazing piece.

Anna

Amazing!

Colin Rowley

Aaahhh...

Emma Pedler

Wow. Just wow! I couldn't look away. You've inspired me. I'm sharing this around to all my time-lapse buddies. Top work and love both the time-lapse and 'documentary' like footage shot by Anthony. Just wow!

Tim

A joy to watch, and lifted by such moody music. I used to live in South Australia but I never saw it like this.

Will Kendrew

Wow. I lost my Imax virginity at the weekend, watching Hidden Universe. This was so much more rewarding. What a great film, beautiful shots, powerful soundtrack. What an inspiration.

Dan Battley

Travis and Anthony this is so inspiring and beautiful. Job well done.

Anthony Scully

Stunning work!

Lara van Raay

THIS IS AMAZING! Incredible footage! Well done Travis and Anthony - this is truly inspiring.

Susan Standen

Truly awesome

Emily Bissland

Wow! You guys, this is extraordinary!

Joeyjoeyjoeshabadoo

This is seriously insane. A stunning piece. Have sat back, glued to the screen, eager to share it with whoever is nearby. Mind blown.